On a recent episode of Kay Adams’ show Up & Adams, she asked Cleveland Browns second-year kicker Cade York to defend the recent trend of NFL teams drafting kickers during the three-day NFL Draft.
This has happened in the last three NFL drafts.
Prior to that, teams tried out undrafted free-agent kickers and signed them later in the spring or summer.
York, out of LSU, is one of the three NFL kickers in the past three years to hear his name called during the three-day draft.
He was selected in the 4th round with the No. 124 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Preceding him was Florida’s Evan McPherson of the Cincinnati Bengals drafted with the No. 149 pick in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
This year’s drafted kicker went earlier than both York and McPherson.
He is Michigan’s Jake Moody, selected in the third round with the No. 99 overall pick, by the San Francisco 49ers.
What York Said
As expected, York raised some good points.
He mentioned a well-known fact that is often overlooked.
Kickers score more points than any other member of the NFL team.
Fans rarely focus on their team’s kicker unless he is doing a bad job, meaning he is missing kicks.
The other argument York raised was that every Super Bowl team has a quality kicker.
This means if a team wants to get to the Super Bowl, there will be close games and game-winning kicks will be on the line during the 17-game regular season and the playoffs.
Teams that win tend to have good kickers.
Why should kickers be drafted in the top rounds? pic.twitter.com/9YLGT1UP9d
— Kay Adams (@heykayadams) May 10, 2023
York Is In the Best Kicking Division Of The NFL
York knows what he speaks of.
The AFC North has the best kickers in the NFL.
He competes against future Hall of Famer and arguably the G.O.A.T. of NFL kicking, Justin Tucker, an undrafted free agent in 2012, with the Baltimore Ravens.
The AFC North is the best kicking division in football and it’s not even close
Esp if Cade York can be what a lot of people think he can be. https://t.co/671oofhD7c
— Matt Fontana (@MattFontana83) August 8, 2022
The Steelers have Chris Boswell (an undrafted free agent in 2014).
McPherson and York round out the starting kicker roster of AFC North teams.
McPherson’s solid 2021 performance was a big reason why the Bengals went to the Super Bowl.
Evan McPherson made $660,000 this season as a rookie.
He's kicked 5 game-winning field goals, including:
➖ To clinch AFC North
➖ To win Divisional Round
➖ To win AFC Championship"That's why you draft a kicker." – @Bengals pic.twitter.com/R3Wc7Y5lNC
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) January 30, 2022
Every draft pick is a question mark because teams do not know if their collegiate careers will translate into successful NFL careers.
Kicking is so specialized that using a draft pick to get a quality candidate with a good collegiate track record appears to be a prudent decision.
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